Josiah Stubb: Interim by CW Lovatt - Reviewed by Rob Bayliss

The author is kindly offering an e-format copy of this brilliant book for the draw. Be sure to comment below or on the Facebook page to be in a chance of winning. To be certain of a pleasurable read you can download from Amazon .

 

 

 

 



 

A glance at Ezra’s papers showed that he was well thought of by his commander, experienced in woodcraft, and tracking besides. All in all, a very valuable man.

“These must be presented to Captain Hume,” I told him, “but in the meantime, allow me to take the opportunity to welcome you into our fold.”

Ezra gestured with his chin. “Is that your captain - the one trying to find the shore through the wrong end of that telescope?” I nodded and his shoulders slumped dramatically. “Ain’t this just gonna be a bundle o’ laughs?”

　

When we first met Josiah Stubb his attempts to escape his abusive upbringing in the gutter of St Johns and enter into polite society has been thwarted; not to mention being denied any future with Elizabeth, the love of his life. Small wonder then, that with the encouragement of the perverse Sergeant Stockingsdale, he would take the King’s Shilling and seek solace in the comradeship of the 51st Grenadiers.

The French and Indian Wars are burning apace as France and Britain vie for dominance. Eager to end the threat to their American colonies once and for all, Britain elects to destroy Acadia – French Canada. So it is that General Wolfe takes the French fortress of Louisburg that guards the mouth of the St Lawrence River, the seaway to French Canada. The 51^st serve under Wolfe in this undertaking and Private Stubb proves himself as a capable soldier even thwarting an attempt on the general’s life by a desperate Frenchman. Not everything goes to plan however as Josiah’s best friend, Daniel Hawthorn, deserts after killing a bullying officer.




British Grenadiers at the time of the Siege of Louisburg.

With Louisburg now taken we catch up with the newly promoted Lieutenant Stubb in Interim.

After a successful campaign the bulk of the forces return to St Johns for some much needed rest and recuperation prior to advancing into Canada proper. But not so all the Grenadiers, for General Wolfe has need of them. With French resistance now centred on Quebec, the British to strangle any economic benefit that they may gain from Acadia and secure the entrance to the continental French America by mopping up any resistance from the various fishing villages along the coast.

But it is a more emotive mission that a company of the 51^st is ordered to embark upon. Word reaches the British high command that French commander of irregulars, Lieutenant Francois Lalande, has not only managed to escape Louisburg prior to its fall , but also been seen in the vicinity. Lalande is implicated in the massacre of men, women and children by Indians allied to the French after the surrender of Fort William Henry.

Interim moves us along though different points of view; most notably the main protagonist of course but also that of the deserter Daniel Hawthorn. We are also introduced to the native peoples of Canada– the Micmac Indians, through Madame Allard, a native Canadian who was married to a French Canadian. The Micmac are an Indian nation that has long been allied with France and their warriors are all too eager to win scalps.

The North American forests are a fascinating and particularly savage theatre of the Seven Years War. The forests are claustrophobic and suffocating, each tree may conceal an ambush and Mr Lovatt puts the reader on edge. As the redcoats advance, at any moment a war whoop may signal a savage attack, with the crack of muskets and the swinging of tomahawks. It’s one of those books you daren’t put down, just in case something terrible happens.

Brave warriors the Micmac are, but through the eyes of Madame Allard, also known as Rainbow, we see a people trying to adjust to a new reality and the beginnings of the Canada we now know.

Micmacs and French traders

The author, with his unique brand of both humour, creates some astounding characters, each with their own motivation and hidden depths. There is Sergeant Stockingsdale, as warped as ever but still brave and loyal. Lalande is obsessed with saving the Canada he loves but is willing to forget his sense of  honour to achieve it. There is Stubb’s immediate superior Captain Hume; a thoroughly unpleasant opponent to the capable Stubb; the lives of his men mere stepping stones on his path to glory, his hatred for the down-at-heel (but popular officer) Stubb is palpable.

Interim this book may be but you wouldn’t know it, as it’s full of action; bloody battles are fought, love is found in a savage land and in the background, a character from Stubb’s past seeks him out. From Louisburg through savage forests the ultimate goal of Quebec beckons and a debt of blood remains to be paid.

Bravo Mr Lovatt, Josiah Stubb is fast becoming one of my favourite literary characters.



About the author

CW Lovatt is the award winning author of the best-selling Charlie Smithers collection, the short story anthology "And Then It Rained," and the critically acclaimed "Josiah Stubb; The Siege of Louisburg." "Interim" is the second book in the Josiah Stubb trilogy.







Rob Bayliss is a reviewer at The Review and is currently writing his own fantasy series. Information on his writing projects can be found at Flint & Steel, Fire & Shadow.

Josiah Stubb: The Siege of Louisbouurg, by CW Lovatt; reviewed by Rob Bayliss

On April 14th the second in this outstanding trilogy is released. This review of the first book is to introduce you to the story and concept, and let you get a chance to get to know Josiah Stubb.

You can preorder the book here at Amazon.

Trust me. It is worth it!

 

That solid mass of men appeard unstoppable, and indeed, there was many a nervous glance between us, as we knew that our numbers would be insufficent for the task; still we proceeded with all possible haste through the thick undergrowth when the order for double-time was given, for the enemy's goal could not be more clear.

We are introduced to Josiah Stubb and his comrades of the 51^st regiment of Grenadiers as they prepare to make a hazardous amphibious landing. It is 1758 and we are in the midst of the Seven Years' War, a global conflict, now that the major powers have colonial interests, lasting from 1754 until 1763. In Anglophone North America the struggle is known as the French and Indian War and had started two years previously.

The French fortress of Louisbourg was, up to 1758, the most expensive stronghold in North America. With its harbour, it dominated the approaches to the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the heartland of Arcadia and New France while its naval squadron was a constant threat to British maritime supply lines.

Thus Josiah Stubb finds himself in boat striving for shore with his best friend Daniel Hawthorne on one side and the perverse and mannerless Ben Stokingdale on the other.  Before them the muskets and cannon of the French open fire. Their fire is so intense that the attack is almost called off until a sheltered, undefended, cove is discovered.

Josiah and his comrades find themselves in the first wave, stealth fully creating a perimeter while the rest of the attacking units land. Josiah is ordered to watch the unsuspecting enemy who think they have repelled the British. Josiah’s mind drifts off recalling the events that have brought him to this juncture: his humble origins as a son of a whore, his abused upbringing in St. Johns and the love of his life, Elizabeth. Daydreaming, he allows the enemy to gain knowledge of the tenuous British defences; his punishable laxness is noted by his superior, the popular Captain Beaumont.  Soon Monsieur is launching a ferocious counterattack on the British position. In the ensuing struggle young Stubb and his comrades give a good account of themselves and, with British reinforcements arriving, the French are forced back, yielding their outer defences.  The night after the battle Josiah is summoned to the Captain to face judgement for his misdemeanour; his history comes back to haunt him in a most terrible and humiliating way.

It is during lulls in the fighting that Josiah is able to reminisce and we learn of his abusive upbringing, by his mother and her plans for him. She does however ensure that he is literate and Josiah is determined on bettering his future and uses his skills to this end. It is then that he falls in love with Elizabeth. They are forced apart by circumstance and the machinations of others, but can he win her back?

These reminisce scenes are cleverly woven into the novel's progression by the author, so in effect we have two timelines to the story running parallel. It could almost be said the book ends at the beginning! The dialogue has C18th century accents running through it; the down at heel Stockingdale sounds exactly as the reader would expect!

Mr. Lovatt has certainly done some meticulous research into this siege, which proved to be one of the most decisive engagements of the war. The military engagements are well described and as a reader I was there as well, desperately trying to load my musket as the French advanced. I enjoyed the little details, such as having to clean the musket of powder residue, and the description of the siege lines and the effort taken in digging them.

 

The author's prose is brilliantly descriptive; we are learning of this crucial siege, but at the same time the character of Josiah is fleshed out, complete with his dreams and his demons. Josiah Stubb is a believable character; the reader feels for his attempt to come to terms with his abusive past and tortured present. He is a true child of his time, as the Age of Reason begins to change the world around him and he grasps the opportunity to better himself, driven by his love of his soul mate, Elizabeth, although he feels his romance is doomed from the onset. In the background we are viewing the birthing pains of modern Canada and see the shooting star of General Wolfe beginning to burn bright.

Only at the close  of the novel do we really learn how he first met his comrades and even who his father may be. Josiah Stubb could easily be a stand-alone book; however all is set up quite nicely for a sequel. I sincerely hope that is the case as I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which I found to be a
real page turner.

 

C.W. Lovatt lives in Manitoba, Canada. Josiah Stubb: The Siege of Louisbourg is his third novel. It is available at Amazon.




This review was written by Rob Bayliss. Rob is currently working on his Flint and Steel, Fire and Shadow fantasy series. Part one, The Sun Shard is available at Amazon. You can find out more about him here